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TikTok to Pay Alabama at Least $100 Million in Child Safety Settlement
TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama a minimum of $100 million, with the total potentially reaching $300 million, to settle allegations that it misled users about safety and designed its app to addict children.
The agreement was reached before a trial that had been scheduled to begin Monday, according to the Alabama attorney general's office, which said the final payout could climb to $300 million if certain conditions are met.
As part of the deal, TikTok will introduce a two-hour daily time limit for underage users, along with additional parental controls. The platform also agreed to restrictions on overnight usage and on cosmetic filters.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said parents in the state can now rest easier knowing that real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction.
TikTok said in its own statement that the settlement builds on its commitment and core objective to continually enhance its safety tools for teens.
The Alabama case follows an August settlement in which TikTok agreed to pay $400 million to the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that the platform violated child privacy laws.
The state's claims centered on accusations that the short-form video platform misled users about safety and was built in ways that kept young people on the app.